What causes vomiting?
When your child throws up, it is often caused by a virus. Your child may also have watery bowel movements (diarrhea). Most of the time, vomiting stops in 6 to 24 hours. The diarrhea may keep going for a day or 2 more.
How can I take care of my child?
- Give clear fluids for 8 hours.Give 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of clear fluid every 10 minutes. After 4 hours, double the amount each hour.
- For babies under 1 year old. Give your baby a clear fluid drink like Pedialyte or Kao Lectrolyte. These drinks help give your baby important minerals that can be lost when throwing up and sick.
- For babies over 1 year old. The best clear fluid is water or ice chips.
- For children over 2 years old. Give your child water or ice chips. You can also give your child flat, lemon-lime soda. Make a drink of half water and half soda.
- Give bland foods 8 hours after your child stops throwing up.
- Babies who eat sold food can have applesauce, strained bananas and rice cereal.
- Other children can have saltine crackers, bland soups and mashed potatoes, or honey on white bread.
- Give the bland foods for 24 hours.
- Do not give medicine your child doesn't need. Do not give any medicine unless your doctor tells you to.
Call your child's doctor right away if:
- Your child shows signs of not getting enough fluids:
- Your child does not urinate (pee) in 8 hours.
- Your child has a very dry mouth.
- Your child has no tears when he cries.
- Your child starts to act very sick.
Call your doctor during office hours if: